Mexico '07

 

16- Feb-07 Friday

8:15A Leave Colts Neck

Talkative driver, China

9:55A Migraine aura

Bag sandwich purchase by Kathy

Pocket PC, S&N

Airplane full, $500 voucher offers

Sandwich from airport

Houston airport

Pocket PC, S&N, MS Word

Dinner at Wendys, salad

Airplane full to Merida

Paperwork for Mexican immigration, shadow light, flakey pen

Merida immigration

Met Bob

Taxi to El Castellano hotel

Walk last block

Hotel 10th floor

Music of Carnival

17- Feb-07 Saturday

7:00A Kathy sick, temp 99+

9:00A Breakfast buffet

10:38A GPS set watch

1:15P Buffet lunch at hotel, excellent salmon h'ordervs, chocolate-pecan pie

Walk to museum, Carnival stands litter sidewalks, museum accepts pesos only, what frustration!!, return to hotel

Kathy temp 100+

7:30P Buffet dinner in hotel, carve turkey, black-zippers-hair group

Clamorous music of Carnival

18- Feb-07 Sunday

8:00A Breakfast buffet, Jackie, Marylyn

9:00A Introductions, Chicxulub

Bus to D

Tour D, thatched roof walkway, museum, outdoor archerology area, equinox monument, Bruce talk under trees, ethnicity, lily pad pool, walk back to bus

Lunch at oceanfront seafood restaurant

Carnival parade passed by

Bus back to Merida

3:30P Nap time

6:30P Dinner with group, Marylin discussion

Walk in town with Bruce, churches, bookstore

Walk back to hotel

19- Feb-07 Monday

8:00A Buffet breakfast, K&B under arch

9:00A Bus to Izamal

Electric power lines discussion with Ron

Izamal plaza, restroom

Walk to Catholic church, bishop's church built over Maya pre-Spanish

Pyramids in distance

Walk to pyramid and lunch restaurant

Some people walked up some steps toward top of pyramid

Lunch open-air covered, Richard, Bruce, Bob

Bus to Chichen Itza

3:00P Resort hotel

Tour Chichen Itza, Jose

5:00P return to hotel

5:30P Chaotic check-in

6:30P Dinner

7:30P Star watching with Bob in front of hotel

20- Feb-07 Tuesday

7:30A Buffet breakfast

Continue tour Chichen Itza, Jose

Photos

Observatory

Obsidian letter opener

Walk back to room

Photos of pool and room

Change camera battery

1:00P K&B lunch outdoors near Art and Kay, red snapper, NICE!!

Lazy shopping, back to room

Relaxed sitting on porch, pool, nap

Kathy birding with Jackie and Bob

Wine and beer before dinner

Skipped ‘Light and Sound’ show

Buffet dinner, Susan, Marilyn and Watson

Stars: Saturn, Praceape, Leo, Regulus

21- Feb-07 Wednesday

8:30A Buffet breakfast

9:30A Leave Chichen Itza

Bus to Balankanche Cave

Balankanche Cave, hot

Bus through little town of Kaua

Cenote overlook, interesting

Maya house visit, rustic, interesting

Valladolid town square

11:30A Church service, Ash Wednesday

Amble through park, Bob photo

Kathy shopping

12:30P Lunch in Hotel El Meson del Marques

2:30P Bus to Ek Balam

Astronomy magazine shared by Bob

Ek Balam site, partially restored, interpretation by archeologists, Bruce talk

Tall structure, restored, lots of steps, temple at top, hot afternoon, German tourists

Unrestored mounds of rock rubble with trees

Kathy, Bob birding

Unexcavated mounds

Astronomical Maya talk by Bruce

Bus back to hotel in Valladolid

7:00P Dinner, astronomy talk with Bruce

22- Feb-07 Thursday

7:00A Breakfast served, Richard, Jackie, skin cancer discussion

8:00A Bus to Coba

Rent tricycle cart

Lunch in open-air local-people’s restaurant (negotiated by Bruce earlier in the morning), hot

Bus to hotel, short wait for rooms

2:30P Bus to Talum

3:30P Talum by the sea, throngs of buses, people, HOT, trolley train, stone remnants of Maya

Left area, bought cold bottled water, trolley train back to bus area

5:00P Bus back to hotel

6:15P Back at hotel by lake

6:45P Pepto-Bismol

Missed Bruce talk on iconography

23- Feb-07 Friday

7:30 Breakfast, open-air  restaurant by pool, very pleasant

8:30A Bus ride, many trees, then smaller trees, power lines, military inspection

2:00P Lunch near Uxmal, open-air restaurant, very pleasant, Bruce Halpin

2:45P Uxmal tour, sun hot, fewer people, pleasant

Pyramid of the Magician, Nunnery Quadrangle, Ball Court, House of the Pigeons, South Temple, Great Pyramid, Palace of the Governors

5:00P Shops, water, bought book with overlays

Bus short move to hotel

Shower after hot day

Dinner open-air by pool, stary sky, very pleasant, Bob, Bruce and Pauline, smoky grill (chicken back, bad)

Bruce Q&A lecture

24- Feb-07 Saturday

Breakfast open-air by pool, Mark, pancakes

Bus to uncrowded sites

Arch monument, grassy lookout, iguana, Peter scared away

Across street to site, several sets of stairs, being restored

Bus to third site, shop bought book

Walk to "Apian Way" location, very pleasant

1:30P Lunch at Friday open-air restaurant near Uxmal, very pleasant

Bus back to Merida

Photos from window of room

4:30P Walk to murals, still somewhat hot

Cathedral service, photo Mexican flag, book store, stop for bottled water

7:30P Farewell dinner, Ron and Bob

Red drink, delicious

Fish grouper, excellent

9:30P Packing and bed

25- Feb-07 Sunday

4:00A Arise and get ready

5:00A Taxis to airport

5:30A Airport

6:55A Leave Merida

9:00A+ Arrive Houston

26- Feb-07 Monday